Should I take tamoxifen?

I could not tolerate Tamoxifin, my emotions were crazy on it. A short time later I became post-menapausal so I tried Anastrozole, another aromatase inhibitor. It was better but I still didn't like how I felt. I have a low risk of reoccurrence (Oncotype scaore of 6) so I chose to stop that also. My oncologist respected my decision and did not try to talk me out of it. It is now four years later and I am still cancer free.

I had several tumors in numerous areas (DCIS, IDC, and Lobular) so I had a double mastectomy and radiation on the left side because one lymph node was involved.

You could try taking it for a while and see how it goes. It's your decision and you can stop anytime. Take it a day at a time and nurture yourself, you deserve it!

It has been 11 years for me now.  My hair did not return after chemo.  I started off with an Armotase inhibitor but switched to Tamoxifen after ariound 3 years to see if my hair would come back. I wanted to quit entirely.  My hair  didn't come back..  But I did not want to take either, but I did.   My oncologist felt it was important.   I started at the bottle of Arimidex for a month before I took it.  I figured I could always stop it if I had SEs.  My oncologist really felt that the AIs and/or Tamoxifen were important.  I took them both (at different times) and took only for 6 years because I still did not want to have to take either.  But I did not want cancer, either.  All is still well with me.  I wonder if I had not taken either oftern, but all I know is it has been 11 years!!!  You can always quit.  I did after 6 years because when it was prescibed, it was prescribed for 5 and then the 10 year recommendation.  I did not quit without the ok of my oncologist, tho~  I figured it was best to be safe than sorry. . . .and my oncotype score was 31 even tho I had early stage, no node involvement breast cancer.

Suzanne

I was told it was important to take tamoxifen so I did for 5 year - the recommended duration at that time. After stopping for 2 years my oncologist informed me new studies indicate better to take it for 10. This was in my 7th year after cancer. I was in good health n felt I didn't want the medication. Just 8 months short of my 10th cancer free - i was diagnosed with metastatic breas cancer to the bones. Now I'm on medication for life! Each person is different. 
Yes sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I had just continued w the tamoxifen cause now the medication I take have even more side effects and is MANY times more expensive then before. 

I had two types of cancer in my right breast. Microinvasion of DCIS And PLCIS. I had a lumpectomy with clear margins and radiation; that's it. Nine years later, no return of the breast cancer. However, I was just diagnosed with Uterine Serous cancer and the first question several of my doctors asked was if I took Tamoxofin. Evidently, there is an increased relative risk of developing uterine cancer for women taking Tamoxofin.

I chose not to take it nine years ago. I had a DCIS and PLCIS, a lumpectomy and radiation. And despite much pressure, I researched and chose against. No breast cancer recurrence and no reason to even look back at the breast cancer. Unfortunately, I have a new Uterine cancer which is unrelated to the breast cancer. Every doctor asked if I had taken tamoxifen because this cancer is MORE common in those who took it.